


all roads lead here

by j_whirl44



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Feelings Realization, Kiss Kiss Fall in Love, Other, the brain rot is strong y'all im sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26234656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_whirl44/pseuds/j_whirl44
Summary: Two times Cel kissed Zolf.Two times Zolf kissed Cel.One time they kissed each other.
Relationships: Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom/Zolf Smith
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	all roads lead here

The first time it happens is when everyone’s drunk. How Carter even managed to sneak all this onto the ship is a mystery to everyone, but right now they don’t really care. It makes for a nice night with no responsibilities and it works for easing the tension the first week on this airship brought. Zolf’s sobered up enough to make sure everyone gets to where they need to be to sleep safely, because a first mate's job is never really done.

He drags Cel to their hammock and though they're a lot taller than him he has the strength to lift them into it. Cel makes a noise and lifts their head over the hammock and leans down towards Zolf, giving him the laziest kiss on the nose before they then reach out and boop it before turning all the way in for the night. Zolf feels his face flush and he rolls his eyes as he leaves them be.

`~`~`

The second time Cel’s rummaging around in his kitchen, the same way that kobold was a few days earlier. They’re at least actively trying to not get in Zolf’s way but it’s still a small room with not a lot of free space so it’s hard.

“Cel, please what are you doing,” he asks, he tries to keep his voice calm. Cel jumps and bites their lip.

“Oh, uh, nothing it’s nothing was just looking for...something,”

“Well anything I can help wi-”

“No!” they say quickly, “No oh uh so-sorry Zolf it’s just a...game I’m playing,”

He knows better by now then to ever really question what Cel is doing at any given time, so he just shrugs and gets back to preparing lunch. Cel walks forward and leans down and places a kiss on the top of his head. “It doesn’t seem to be here though, thanks anyway!” they say before the turn and exit the room. Zolf shakes his head with a smile.

`~`~`

The third time is when Cel comes to him late at night. They’re shaking and now really able to form full sentences. They seem terrified and Zolf gently leads them into his quarters and sits them at a table in the corner. He sits in silence with them and he strokes their hand that hes holding trying his best to ground them out and away from the panic that’s taking hold. They just barely made it out of the wild magic and things got touch and go for a moment there, that had to have some lingering effects on all of them.

It takes a bit but they finally muster up enough to speak a quiet and croaky “thank you” Zolf just nods and stands up. He brings their hand into his chest. He thinks for a moment, then leans down and kisses their forehead.

`~`~`

The fourth time is again in the middle of a late night down on Svalbard. They’re taking watch together while the others rest. Zolf’s mechanical legs feel like they could snap off any moment so he tries to build a fire quickly. Cel’s been uncharacteristically quiet. He looks over and sees them lost in thought, staring out into the flat snowy tundra in front of them. He makes the fire and walks over to them. He shakes them lightly and they jump. They smile shyly at him and they move to sit at the fire. They’re huddled together with a big blanket over their shoulders. It’s unspoken but at their side lay intertwined hands.

“What comes after this, Zolf?” they ask.

He looks up at them, “Well if the mission’s successful...I guess we go to wherever we need to stop this thing,”

“What if it doesn’t work,” they counter.

“Then we think of something else. There always has to be something else…” he trails away on that thought. Truth is, he doesn’t really know what the plan is if this doesn’t work out, and he doesn’t know how he’d be able to handle the possibility of this failing. He shakes his head slightly to dismiss the rising thoughts in his mind. That wasn’t important right now, and he hopes it won’t ever be.

He brings their hands up and places a kiss on Cel’s knuckle. They smile and nod reassuringly. They sit in a comfortable silence.

`~`~`

All those lead to this. Zolf kneeling over Cel’s unconscious and bloody body. The heat of a ship on fire is behind him and the roar of a beast comes from overhead. He hears the others screaming orders all around him but he’s focused on Cel right now. He takes his hands and puts them on their stomach, where the main wound is. He’s exhausted from a long fight that just keeps going and going but he begs his body, begs whatever's in his soul to give just a little bit more to at least patch up the main wound. He feels it flow through his fingers. He feels the wound begin to close. It’s tender and slow but at least it works. He lets out a shaky laugh and looks up to see if there’s any response from Cel.

Still nothing.

He searches their belt for any sort of potion that could help. It’s useless. He searches his own body and remembers, he has one healing potion left. He opens the bottle and moves to their face. He opens their mouth gently and pours the liquid in. He stays frozen as he looks for any sign of life in their face. After a few agonizing seconds he sees their eyes move behind their closed eyelids. He chokes on a gasp and he leans back a little to give them space. Slowly their eyes open and they look scared and confused.

Zolf’s trying to keep himself from crying as he places both hands on either side of their face. They smile weakly and bring one arm up to place a hand on his wrist. With the battle going on they just stare at each other.

He leans down and Cel follows him up and they meet halfway. It’s not a strong kiss but a firm one. It tastes a little like blood and sweat but it’s something, they both realize in that moment, that was building for a long time.

It’s quick as Zolf pulls away. His brain joins him again as he remembers everything going on around them.

“Can you stand?” He asks.

Cel takes a moment but nods as they begin to move. Both on their feet again, they share a look. They give a nod to each other and then they go back towards the fight.

**Author's Note:**

> i just........love them y'all.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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